Vancouver Courier
for February 25, 1998

Last week's cabinet shuffle sent political junkies scurrying about, analyzing chickens' gizzards, reviewing past performances, consulting their muses as they presented their new conventional wisdom through a naive media to a largely unimpressed public.

It's all humbug (the real word, which has to do with boy cows, isn't yet acceptable in respectable papers or even unrespectable talk shows.) Anyone who pays the slightest attention to such carefully orchestrated politics (including strategic leaks) as analyzed by an uninformed media hasn't been paying attention to what's really going on here.

Regardez. There were two stories in the Weekend Sun which tell the story.

The first had to do with great gobs of money going into education this year.

Made by Education Minister Paul Ramsey? Nope. Glen Clark.

The second told how the budget would unfold and whether or not there would be tax cuts.

Released by Finance Minister Joy McPhail? Nope again. Premier Clark.

Cabinets have always, in modern times, been capable of domination by a strong first minister although it's interesting to observe that British Prime Ministers, even the likes of Lloyd George, Churchill and Thatcher, could never exercise the kind of control a Canadian leader can wield. W.A.C. Bennett was a dictator as were, to lesser degrees, Dave Barrett and Bill Vander Zalm (now there's a linking of names to conjure with!). Bill Bennett was a stern disciplinarian in many ways but strong cabinet ministers were relatively unchecked.

Glen Clark is of the W.A.C. Bennett mold. His leniency only extends to permitting ministers to do and say outrageous things which don't really matter. When it comes to the levers of power, Captain Clark is the only man permitted to hold the wheel.

In the perfect world, cabinets would be formed by taking the 18 best from your talent pool, bearing in mind the tasks to be performed. In British Columbia this isn't the case and hasn't been for eons.

During my time (1975-81), talent was a large consideration but geography and political clout were more important.

Dealing with the latter first, Grace McCarthy, Allan Williams, Garde Gardom and Pat McGeer were in because of political clout. Bennett could not have held his caucus and party together without them. As it happens, these four would have made anyone's cabinet any time - they were all highly capable people who did a first class job.

But geography is also crucial. A government must be able to show its face, through cabinet ministers, throughout the province. It was geography that got me into the first Bill Bennett cabinet. A recent member of the party, I was relatively unknown. I got the last available post (Consumer Services) and was greeted by most of the press as an unknown whose only qualification seemed to be a law degree. I think I did all right since I was given major responsibilities within a few months but if I had any talent, it certainly was unknown to Premier Bennett.

To this should be added a third consideration - swing seats can sometimes be kept in the government fold if their MLA becomes a cabinet minister. That point alone has accounted for some pretty strange ministers over the years.

These criteria have now been expanded since the mid 60s.. There must be women. (W.A.C. Bennett started all that with three women ministers without portfolio, including Grace McCarthy). And there must visible minorities though it's interesting to note that Dave Barrett who, as a bleeding heart socialist - and a Jew - might have been expected to break the colour bar, left Rosemary Brown and Emery Barnes, both talented blacks, on the back bench. He did bring in an Indian but that was short-lived as the chap was caught in a spot of embarrassment with a lady which in those days evidently was a hanging offence - only if you were caught out publicly, of course.

Mike Harcourt included the first Indo Canadian, Moe Sihota though Harcourt's liberalism was greatly assisted by the fact that Sihota was the first East Indian elected to the legislature and clearly talented. He also elevated Emery Barnes to the Speaker's Chair which he filled to great distinction.

Glen Clark has done an interesting bit - he appointed Jenny Kwan to the big room and one must assume that the only reason is that she's the first Chinese-Canadian cabinet minister. Not that she isn't bright as hell and beautiful - she is, but those aren't usually considerations. Ms Kwan is hard left (no longer fashionable), from a safe seat and hated by the Vancouver Mayor and Council (she was once a councilor) with whom she must deal as Minister of Municipal Affairs.

While there is, I'm told, at least one gay in Cabinet there are none who have come out. The Reverend Tim Stevenson, who's gay, was passed over. Perhaps Premier Clark is waiting to see how closet gays make out before going to more courageous candidates.

Transvestites, bisexuals, the sexually changed, Papua New Guineans, Uzbekistanis, Rosecrucians and Gnostics will just have to wait their turn.

Just like those with talent.